GRANDVILLE, Mich. – Aug. 9, 2017 – J+J Flooring Group and The Society for the Advancement of Gerontological Environments (SAGE) have formed a partnership to establish the 2017 SAGE POE. The multi-step, multi-year program is the first-of-its-kind within the combined flooring and senior lifestyle spaces. The project will provide a sustainable platform to conduct ongoing post-occupancy evaluations (POEs) of physical environments for older adults that involve collaboration among numerous stakeholders.

J+J Flooring Group will provide funding for resources and administrative support for the SAGE POE. SAGE will work with J+J Flooring Group to leverage the company’s experts and relationships in the senior living space during the development, implementation, presentation and publication of the POEs. Additionally, J+J will participate in all phases of the partnership and the POE process. The partnership will enable SAGE to build a robust library of POEs, which is a significant first step to fortifying current and future POE tools for collecting usable data on evidence-based design outcomes.

“The opportunity to be a part of an initiative that has the ability to transform an industry and have a highly positive impact on the life experiences in senior living is tremendous,” said Keith Gray, Director of Applied Research for J+J Flooring Group. “We are committed to supporting meaningful research initiatives that align with the goals of SAGE and its members, and we are excited to learn the outcomes of the first POEs.”

POEs are used to improve the ways that buildings are designed and used to support productivity and well-being. Traditionally, POEs have been more commonplace in office buildings, schools and universities, hotels and hospitals.

“Given the significant growth and complexities of the senior living industry, more and move innovations are coming to the marketplace and we believe that POEs are one of the most valuable tools to help further shape highly successful physical environments for seniors,” said Mitchell Elliott,president of SAGE. “One of SAGE’s primary goals is to advance the knowledge about the planning and design strategies that enhance the quality of life for seniors. We believe that J+J Flooring Group is the best possible partner to help us achieve this goal – they are equally committed to elevating the life experience of seniors.”

The SAGE POE team is shaking things up in 2017! CLICK HERE to learn more!

The SAGE POE team paired up with Buckner Villas in Austin, Texas for a Post-occupancy Evaluation in conjunction with the 2016 Environments for Aging Expo and Conference. Learn more HERE. See the follow-up presentation HERE. SAGE members can have access to the 2016 POE White Paper in the Members Only section of this website.

A primary mission of SAGE is to encourage and facilitate the creation of better environments for elders by educating others about the therapeutic value of the physical environment. An evaluation of a setting in use creates a natural platform for discussion and supports the educational focus of SAGE. These types of evaluations of buildings in use are often referred to as Post-Occupancy Evaluations (POE). Sharing these evaluations is an important way we can learn how to improve the built environment. These educational settings include design conferences and webinars.

Since 1999, SAGE has been leading this educational effort in many setting types including, independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing and hospice environments. The key to the SAGE Post Occupancy evaluation is the multi-disciplinary perspective that the review team brings to the process. A POE team typically consists of the following key experts who are members of SAGE:

Clinicians– Medical directors or directors of nursing

Providers – Administration and staff

Consumers - Residents and family members

Architects – Involved in design for aging

Interior Designers – Involved in design for aging

Academic / Researchers – University based or independent

Speciality Consultants – Involved in design for aging issues

Regulators – Government officials responsible for the creation and enforcement health care codes and standards

SAGE design principles are the foundation for conducting the POE. The review committee also uses SAGE POE guideline that was created in conjunction with the Institute on Aging and Environment at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. This worksheet provides a loose framework for the evaluation.

The Osborn; Rye, NY
RLPS Architects / Larry Lefever Photography

Reviewers spend one day touring the environment, speaking to administrative staff, the direct care staff, the designer and the residents. The review team then assembles the presentation a few days before a conference session.

The presentation is not aimed at rating the project in comparison with others, like a design competition. The focus of the POE presentation involves multiple objectives including:

An identification of the successful outcomes that were achieved in light of the SAGE Design Principles and the owner’s goals and objectives.

A suggestion of the opportunities for improvement in the environment, again through the lens of the SAGE Design Principles.

A sharing of the “lessons learned” from the end users of the senior living environment.

The most recent SAGE POE was held at Buckner Villas in Austin, Texas. The findings of the POE at this household-based memory care community were presented at the 2016 Environments for Aging Conference.

If you would like a senior living environment in which you are involved to be considered for a SAGE POE or if you are interested in serving on a POE Review Team, please CONTACT US for more information.